Waiting for the movie to begin
on the theater people came pouring in
then MC said his introductions
and gave the signal to the band
to play the national anthem
where everybody was required to stand
to which everybody obliged
some with their right hands on their chest
as is the custom we learned way back
on flag ceremonies and soldiers laid to their rest
Now as the song slowly played
I noticed the genuine lack of interest
from people about to sing
the tune of their motherland
I heard the recording but heard no music
like an altar call without a show of hands
It was depressing to say the least
to see my people lack any form of pride
from their history and their heroes
as we watch a foreign film on the side
as we eat American junk food
and wear clothing made in China
and bastardize our native tongue for good
and keep losing jobs to India
It was demotivating to say the least
because it seems we have difficulties moving on
from past failures and being ruled by a beast
a shattered self-image and self-respect gone
Like there is nothing great to read
from our rather short and biased history books
taking great care to nurture bad seed
that we inherited from religious crooks
It was heart breaking, most of all
to see a people hating their identity
and never be able to recover from the fall
of having been and still being part of the slave hierarchy
And as the song went to its conclusion
I saw my people hurry to their sitting positions
and I stood there wondering
how we ended up in this situation
maybe some bad education
maybe due to the guilt-centric religion
but then it dawned to me, the reason
for the lifelessness that has long been in season
that it was simply a lack of vision
of future glory in store for a humble nation
once it forgets the horrors of subjugation
and strive to accomplish the mission
entrusted to the current generation
which is to lift ourselves out of
this self-imposed depression
and wash our faces and comb our hairs
and wear new clothing, smiling
for as long as there is life and breathing
there is also hope; never stop dreaming
of a day when people would sing loud
and stand tall, fearless and proud
as the national anthem is being played
after the MC's introductions has been said
before the films start to roll
to entertain my people in this movie hall
